Gunfire control apparatus



' F. w. WOOD. I GUNFIRE CONTROL-APPARATUS.

APPLICAHON FILED N OV. 26,1915.

Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1- F. W; WOOD.

GUNFIRE CONTROL APPARATUS. APPLIC HON FILED NOV-26, 1915.

1,312,602, A A Patented Aug. 12,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

s ENT orricn FRANK WOOD, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES CORY & SON, IN'Q, OI NEW YORK, N. Y.,' A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GUNFIREFCONTOROL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au g. 12, 1919,

Application filed, November 26, 1915. Serial No. 63.445. I

"Way of illustration, one embodiment ofthe invention, wherein the training or sighting of a turret gun or" a warship, preparatory to firing, is directed and controlled by means of a signal or signals transmitted from the fire control top of the vessel to the gun turret. Furthermore, in the present instance, the signal transmitted from the elevated or observation station to the turret is intended to inform the gun operator to What extent or to what angle the gun should be swung or moved in a horizontal plane in order to train it'upon the selected target. However, I wish it to be understood that the invention is not limited in its useful application to theoperation of guns aboard ship, as it may be employed in connection with land fortifications or under other conditions, where it is deemed desirable or advisable to direct the firing of a piece of ordnance from a relatively remote station, and it is further to be understood that the invention may be adapting of the gun, the proper degree'of angle of train to be imparted to the gun to bring the latter to bear upon the selected target.

It is'also my purpose to provide an apparatus of this class wherein the angle of train is ascertained by an observer through the use of a suitable observation instrument,

such as a telescope, range finder or the like,

and when this observation instrument is operated,- as when taking a sight on the seletced target, the angularmovement of the instrusection.

ment is automatically and correspondingly shown a the gun station by means of a suitable indicator, hereinafter termed, for the sake of convenience, the primary in'dioa-' tor. There is also located at the gun station, or Within the turret, another indicator, which I have termed the secondary indicator, and the latter is adapted to be operated in conjunction with the primary indicator, that is to say, when the said primary indicator is actuated or moved to a selected degree or to indicate a predetermined point or angle, the secondary indicator may be correspondingly moved or made to follow the primary indicator byjthe action of the turret oflicer or other operator-turning the turret, and consequently the gun, through the usual turret driving or turning mechanism. When a predetermined point or mark on the secondary indicator corresponds to or registers with a similar point or mark on the primary indicator, such fact is automatically signaled at both the gun station and the observation station, and the gun opera tor as well as the observation officer, knows that the gun has been turned to the proper angle of train.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus through the medium or which the angle of train may be quickly and accurately communicated to the oilicer oroperator at the gun station, even though the target be beyond the horizon of observation of such officer or operator.

Furthermore, it is my purpose to provide an apparatus of this class which will embody the desired features of simplicity, eifi- .ciency, reliability and convenience, and

which is inexpensive from the standpoint of installation and operation. 1

With the above reci d objects, and others of a similar nature in view, my invention" consists in the construction; combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the observer at the instrument at the observation station and also illustrating the interior of the gun station or turret with the electrical connections therebetween, certain of-the parts being shown in elevation and 1 Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation showing conventionally a warship and a target vessel and illustrating the use of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the signaling mechanism employed in the turret and embodied in my invention.

. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the, line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

F 6 is a vertical sectional view through the telescope mounting.

In Figs. 2 and 3 a warship equipped with my invention is conventionally shown at W while the target vessel also is conventionally shown at T. At the top ofthe military mast or at the fire control top of the warship 1s located the observation station 0 while one ormore gun stations are shown at G. The line of vision of a person at the gun station is shown at a while'the line of vision of the observer at the observation stationis shown at b. The trajectory of flight of a I projectile fired from a gun station is shown by a broken line p.

At a gun station G the barbette armor is shown at A while B indicates the barbette proper, the latter being equipped with a suitable circular toothed rack C for the purpose'hereinafter described. Turning upon the barbette is the gun turret D, suitable anti-frictional roller bearings E beingdnten posed between the barbette and the gun turret to enable the latter to revolve easily and readily as usual. The gun is indicated conventionally at F and projects as usual thrIoIugh the gun port of the turret, shown at All of the above parts are simply conventionally illustrated and may be of any preferred and suitable construction.

Mounted on the observation station 0 which is preferably at the fire control top on the military mast of the vessel, is a stand 1 6 divided as'usual to indicate the 360 of the telescope in which a vertical .spindle 2 is mounted to turn. Fast with this spindle is a gear wheel 3, while 4 designates a stationary indicator dial through which the spindle passes loosely, a collar'5 being interposed between the dial4 and the gear 3. This dial has its upper surface provided with a circular scale arms 10 and 11. Mounted to turn on bear-' ings carried by these two arms'is a vertical shaft 12, the upper end of which carries a ear-pinion 13, meshing with and driving the gear wheel 3 of the spindle 2. Mounted intermediate the ends of the shaft 12 and fast therewith is a worm gear 14, while below this worm gear 14 is mounted the electric controller drum 15 employed for the purpose hereinafter described. The numeral '16 indicates an operating shaft adapted to be manually rotated by means of the hand wheel17 under control of the observer. This shaft 16 is mounted in bearings 18 and 19, the latter being at the upper end of the bracket arm 10, and this shaft 16 is also equipped with a worm pinion 2O meshing with the worm gear 14. v From the description thus far given of th mechanism, at the observation station O, it will be seen that as the operator turns the hand wheel 17 he will also turn the worm pinion 20 and through the worm gear 14 will impart a rotary movement to the vertical shaft 12, thus turning the pinion 13 and imparting a rotatory motion to the gear wheel 3. This will cause the spindle 2 to turn and will correspondingly turn the telescope, the degree of rotary movement of the telescope being indicated by the pointer traveling over the scale of the observers dial 4. The degree-of movement thus imparted to the telescope is transmitted or signaled to the gun station G through'the mechanismpresently. to be describe Bolted to thewall of the revolving turret is a bracket indicated as an entirety by the letter Y and having an arm 22 which is adapted to rotatably support the primary indicator P. This primary indicator in the present instance, in its preferred form, embodies a disk 23 having a circular recess in its upper face thus forming the circular peripheral flange 24 upon the top face of which is marked a circular scale 25 divided into the 360 of the circle as usual. As is best shown in Fig. 5, this indicator disk has a hub 26 formed on its under side and this hub terminates in a sleeve 27 which extends through the c0llar'28, at the end of the bracket arm 22, a shoulder 29 being formed on the sleeve to rest upon the collar. Fast with the sleeve is a gear 30 with which meshes the gear 31 carried by the shaft 32 of the motor M. This motor is mounted preferably on the stand 33 forming a part of the bracket Y and is also preferably located directly beneath the primary indicator. I

It is of course, to be understood that this motor M may be of any selected type, but it is preferably in the nature of a six pole step by step motor, constructed and operating on the principle of the motor shown and described in my earlier application filed October 24, 1914, Serial #868456 (patented May 16, 1916, No. 1,183,155).

Inorder to energize the motor M and thus be em loyed. In the present instance, the letter indicates a dynamo of which 34 is the main feed conductor and 35 is the main return conductor. A suitable switch 36 is employed for switchin on and off the cur rent as will be readi y understood. The dynamo .with its connections and switching device may be located at any suitable place aboard ship. The numeral 37 indicates a current conductor leading from the switch 36 to the motor M, the leads 38, 39 and 40 of the motor being connected with this conductor 37, these motor leads 38, 39 and 40 being paired with the motor leads43, 42 and 41 respectively, and from the latter lead the conducting wires 44, 45 and 46, which run to the observation station and are connected with contact brushes 47, 48 and 49 operating in conjunction with the controller drum 15. A bridging wire 50 connects the conductor 37 with the conducting wire 51 which forms a part of a lighting or signaling circuit, one terminal of the wire 51 being connected with a conducting ring 52;at .the hub 26 of the primary indicator P, this conducting ring 52 in turn making an electric contact with the conductor rod 53 one terminal of which two contact points 54 and 57' are preferably located at or in line'with the zero mark on the indicator disk and are adapted to be bridged for circuit closing purposes as hereinafter described. From this second con ductor ring 55, leads the conductor wire 58 also forming part of a lighting circuit and running to the lamp L in the turret. ,,To this conductor wire 58 is also connected the other terminal of the conductor 51, the latter having a resistance 51 interposed therein between the motor and the lamp L.

From the lamp L at the turret to the lamp L at the observers station runs the conductor wire 59 of the lighting circuit while 60 is the return wire of the lighting circuit leading from the lam L to the common return 61, the latter leading back to the switch 36.

The purpose and operation of this lighting circuit will be hereinafterset forth. Located at the gunners station and operating in conjunction with the primary indicator? is a secondary indicator designated as an entirety by the letter S. Now when the gun operator or turret ofiicer notes that ,the primary indicator has been revolved to a selected degree by the action of the observer at the observation station, he operates the turret and gun turning mechanism and at the same time revolves this secondar 1ndi-' cator to cause the'latter to follow t 1e primary indicator. Thi's'secondary indicator S mcludes a 'clrculardisk 62'- which is preferably arranged concentric with the primary indicator disk 23being seated in'the circular recess of thelatter. Adjacent its periph-- er this secondary indicator diskis provided with a circularscale 63, which scale di-' vided as is usual into the 360 of the circle.

The underside of this circular disk 62 carries the contact bridging plate 64', and this p mark of the circle of its disk or in correplate is arranged preferably at the zerosponding position with the contact points 54.

and 57 of the primary indicator. The resuit is that, in operation, when the contact plate 64 is bridging the'contacts '54 and 57 under conditions hereinafter-described, an

electric circuit will be closed at this point;

This secondary disk 62 has a depended hub vertical shaft '66, the latter extending '65 in whichis so'cketed the upper end of 'the through the bore of the sleeve 27 of the primary indicator disk 23. At its lower end, beyond the end of the sleeve 27, this shaft '66 has fast therewith a bevel gear 67 and with this bevel gear meshes a corre's onding bevel gear 68-carried by one end of t e shaft 69, this shaft in the present instance eXtending horizontally through the. bearing sleeve 70 carried by the arm 71 of the bracket Y. The oppositeend of this shaft-69 has fast therewith a bevel gear 73 which meshes with the corresponding bevel gear 74 at-the upper end of the vertical shaft 75, this vertical shaft finding a bearing in the collarf 7 6 carried at the free end of the arm 77 of the bracket Y, as" shown in Fig.5. The lower end of this shaft 75 has fast therewith' a relatively large gear'wheel 78 which meshes with the rack C of the barbette and is adapted to travel aroundsuch rack when the ifio turret is turned. It will thus be seen that when the turret is turned on the barbette,the ear wheel 78 will run around the rack C of t e barbette and consequently through the train of transmission devices just described, a rotatory or turning motion will be imparted to the disk 62 of the secondary indicator and the latter will turn in the circular recess in the face of the primary indicator disk.

tural features of'the preferred form of my apparatus, and its operation may be briefly described as follows: Turning to'Figs. 2 and 30f the drawings we will assume that it is desired to train the turret gun of the warship W upon a target ship T,"which is below the horizon of observation of the turret oflicer, theline of observation of such oflicer being indi- The above is a description of the struccated at a in Fig. 1. However, this target one side of the warship. It is therefore, de-

sirable that the turret oflicer or gun operator be informed through proper signallng, that the gun should be turned or swung through 330 of the circle. In practising the invention, under the circumstances, the

oflicer at the 'observers station 0 as indicated in Fig. 1, first turns the hand wheel 17 to swing the telescope and continues this turning until the telescope is sightedon the target ship. As before mentioned, this turning of the telescope swings the indicator pointer 9 and whenthe instrument is training upon the target ship, in the exam le given, the indicator pointer 9 will point to 330 on the observers dial 6.- At the same time, the rotation of the shaft16 will turn the controller drum 15, which is in the nature of a circuit closing device and has permanently in contact therewith the brush 15 connected through the wire 61, with the common return 61. As this circuit closing drum 15 is rotated it will touch certain of the brushes 47, 48 and 49 which. will have the effect of switching the electric. current into the proper conductors to give the motor its advancing step by step movement, this operation of the motor turning the primary indicator P.

For instance, assuming the switch 36 to be closed, if the observer turns the hand wheel 17 so that the controller drum 15 is turned to circuit closing position with the brush 47 at the terminal of the conductor wire 44, the brush 15 as above stated being.-

permanently in contact with the controller drum 15, the motor circuit will be closed at the drum l5 and the current will flow as follows: From the dynamo R the current will flow throughthe conductor 34, switch 36 and conductor 37 tothe motor lead 40, through the motor and motor lead 41 to the conductor 44, through the latter to-the brush 47 now' in ciicuit closing position at the controller drum 15, through such controller drum 15, brush 15 and wire 61 back through the return 61, switch 36 and main return 35 to the dynamo. the motor to turn and will correspondingly turn the primary indicator disk. The oflicer at the observation station 0 then c'ontinues to turn the telescope and rotatethe controller drum energizing the motor until the primary disk is turned through an arc of 330 when the telescope being sighted on This will cause that the primary disk has been turned an arc of 330 starts the mechanism for turning the turret (not shown) and aS the turret is turned, the secondary indicator disk is correspondingly turned through the mechanism heretofore described, including the rack C.and the gear wheel meshing therewith, until the contact bridging plate '64 on the under. side of the secondary disk bridges the two contact points of the primary 1ndicator disk, and the signal lamps L and L will be lighted, thus indicating to both the observer and the gun operator that the gun is at the proper angle of horizontal train. Whetrthis lighting of the signal lamps occurs, the zero marks of the two disks will correspond and the two disks will have been 'turned to a degree corresponding to the degree to which the, observers in cator was moved or turned by the observer.

In connection with my arrangement of signaling at both the gun station and the observation station, by means of the lamps L and L respectively, it is to benoted that when the observation officer is turning the hand wheel 17 and thus moving the primary indlcator to give the turret ofiicer or gun operator the desired angle. of train, these two lam s L and L are supplied with current, alt ough such current is not suflicient to raise the lam to the point of incandescence, but is su cient to heat such lamps,

\ and in some instances to cause them to glow will be lighted in the manner referred to if both lamps are in proper condition, so that the switc ;closi1ig will indicate to both the observer and the gun operator that the general, circuit connections are complete; this will also inform the observer that the lamp L is in proper condition to inform the gun operator of the purpose to provide un training-movements, the observer thus eing practically assuredkthat the gunoperator is ready for operation. However, when the secondary indicator has been turned untilthe. contact plate 64 thereof reaches and bridges the "contact points 54 and 57, the resistance 51 will be cut out, for under this condition the closed lighting circuit will be conductor 51 leading to the ring 52, through conductor ring 52 to conductor rod 53, to bridge-plate 64, to conductor rod 56, conductor ring 55, conductor wire 58, lamp L, conductor 59, lamp L, through lamp L to the return 60 and thence back through the common return 61. Thus by cutting out the resistance 51 and closing the lighting circuit through the two disks, both .lamps will burn brightly, and with full power, thus indicating that the angle of train of the gun as shown by the now registering primary and secondary indicators, corresponds with the angle of train shown on the observers indi cator at the observation station.

Ofcourse, in connection with the present apparatus it is to be understood that the arrangement of the lighting circuits, as well as the arrangement of the indicating apparatus and the electric equipment thereof maybe varied to suit the individual requirements of the structure in connection with which the invention is used, and therefore, I have simply herein by way of illustration, more or less conventionally shown, one arrangement of-electric equipment such as circuits, switches, controllers, motors and the like, by means of which the invention may be practised;

While I have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I. do not con fine myself to all the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirlt of the invention or exceeding the scope of the ap ended claims.

hat I claim is:

'1. In a gun fire control apparatus, the combination with a movably mounted gun, of an indicator'located relatively adjacent the gun, remotely controlled mechanism for operating the. indicator to indicate the degree to. vvhich the gun is to be moved,and a second indicator also located adjacent the gun and movable 'n synchronism with the latter and adapted, in coiiperation with the first indicator, to indicate when the gun has .beenmoved tothe desired degree, said indicators being concentrically arranged and each having complemental degree indica-.

tions.

2. In a gun fire control. apparatus, the combination with a gun and a rotatable support therefor, of an indicator located adjacent the support, remotely controlled means for actuating said indicator to indicate the degree of rotation to be imparted, to the support and the gun, a second indicator adja cent the first indicator and adapted, in cooperation therewith,to indicate when the support and gun have beenrotatedtmthe desired degree, said lindicators being concontrolled means for actuatinglsaid indicator to indicate the degree to W ich the sup- .portwith the gun is to be turned horizontally, a second indicator adjacent the first indicator, said indicators being concentrically arrangedand each having complemen tal degree indications and mechanism op- .erable from the rotating support for operating the second indicator, said second indicator coiiperating with the first mentioned indicator to indicate when the gun has been turned horizontally to the desired degree.

4. In a gun fire control apparatus, the combination with a revolving turret and a guncarried thereby, of an indicator located within the turret and adapted to indicate a selected angle or degree to which the turret and thegun is to be turned, means operable from a remote station for operating said indicator, a second indicator also located within the turret adjacent the first indicator, said indicators being concentrically arranged and each having complemental degree indications and mechanism operable when the turret is revolved for actuating the second indicator, said second indicator cooperating with the first mentioned indicator to ind1- cate when .the gun has been turned to the selected angle or degree.

5. In a gun fire control apparatus, the combination with a movable gun, of an indicator located adjacent the gun, electrically operated remotely controlled mechanism for --been moved to the desired degree, said indicators being concentrically arranged and each having complemental degree indications and mechanism for actuating the sece ond indicator in synchronism with the gun.

6. In a gun fire control apparatus the combination with a revolving gun turret and a gun carried thereby, of an indicator located in the turret, electrically operated mechanism under control of an operator at a remote station for operating said indicator to indicate a selected '1 angle or degree to which the turret with its gun is to be revolved, a second indicator also located in the turret and. adapted in coiiperation with the first indicator to indicaterwhen the turret and gun have been revolved to the desired station remote from the gun station, an observers indicator at the remote station operable to indicate a selected angle of train ascertained with the observation instrument, electrically operated meansunder control of the observer 'at the observation station for Operating the indicator at the gun station correspondingly with the operation of the observers indicator, and a second indicator also located at the gun station and cooperating with the first mentioned indicator at such station to indicate when a gun at the gun station has been brought to an angle of train corresponding to that shown by the observers indicator, said indicators being concentrically arranged and each having .complemental degree indications.

8. In a gun fire control apparatus, an indlcator located at a gun station, -an ob' servers instrument located at an observation statlon remote from the gun station, an

observers indicator at the remote station operable to indicate a selected bearing ascertained with the observation. instrument, electrically operated means under control of the'observer at the observation station for operating the indicator at the gun station correspondingly with the operation of the observers indicator, and a second indicator also located atthe gun station and coiiperating with the first mentioned indicator at such station to indicate when a gun at the gun station has been brought to a bearing corresponding to that shown by the ob servers indicator, said indicators being concentrically arranged and each having complemental degree indications.

9. The combination with a revolving turret and a gun mounted to turn therewith, of a remotely controlled motor driven indicator mounted in the turret and operable to indi cate the angle of degree to which the turret and gun areto be turned to train a gun on a selected target, a second indicator also mounted in the turret and cooperating with the first indicator to indicate when the turret and gun have been turned to the desired degree, said indicators being concentrically arranged and each having complemental degree indications, and means actuated by the revolving turret for operating said second indicator.

10. The combination with-a horizontally rotating gun support and a gun, carried thereby, of indicating mechanism mounted on the revolving turret, said mechanism including a pair of concentrically-arranged indicators having complemental degree indications for indicating the degree of horizontal rotation to be imparted to the turret and gun, and electrically operated means under control of an operator at a remote station for causing the operationof the indicating mechanism at the turretto indicate a selected degree of horizontal rotation to be imparted to the turret.

11. In a gun fire control apparatus, a revolving gun support and a gun carried thereby, a primary indicator located adjacent the gun and having degree indications electrically controlled mechanism operable from a remote observation station for actuating said primary indicator to indicate the degree or angle to which the support and gun are to be revolved, said mechanism including an electric motor geared to the indicator, a motor circuit in-which said motor is located, a controller at the remote observation station and also located in the electric motor circuit, and means under control of an operator at the observation station for actuating the controller to make and break the motor circuit, a secondary indicator also located adjacent the gun and having degree indications co'mplemental to the indications of the primary indicator, and mechanism driven by the revolving gun support for actuating said secondary indicator, the secondary indicator cooperating with the primary indicator to indicate when the turret and gun have been turned to the desired degree.

whichthe gun is to be revolved, an observation instrument located at a relatively remote observation station, an observers indi cator also located at such observation station, means under control of an operator at the observation station for training the observation instrument on a selected target and simultaneously indicating the angle of train on the observers indicator, and electrically operated means having degree indications complement-a1 'to the indications of the gun statlon indicator for transmitting-the angle of train shown by the observers indicator to the indicator at the gun station,

13. In a gun fire control apparatus, the combination with a gun located at a gun station and adapted to revolve with the gun mount, of an indicator located'adjacent the gun and operable to indicate the angle or degree to which the gun is to be turned, an observation instrument located at a rela-. tively remote observation station, .an observers indicator also located at such observatlon station, means under control of an operator at the observation station for training the observation instrument on a selected target and simultaneously indicating the angle of train on the observers indicator, electrically operated means for actuating the indicator at the gun station to indicate an angle of train corresponding to that shown on the observers indicator, such means including a motor geared with the indicator at the gun station, an electric circuit in which said motor is located, and a controllingdevice for the electric circuit located at the 'observers station and operable simultaneously with the movement of the observation instrument to make and break the motor circuit, a second indicator located at the gun station, said gun station indicators being concentrically arranged and having complemental degree indications, and a train of gearing interposed between the second indicator and the gun mount, and operable by the latter for moving said second indicator to a degree corresponding to the degree of movement of the first indicator at the gun station.

14. In a gun fire control apparatus, the combination with a gun located at a gun station and adapted to revolve with the .gun I mount of a primary indicator located at the gun station, an observation instrument located at a relatively remote observation station, means under control of an operator at the observation instrument for training such instrument on a selected taring the second indicator, a signal located at the gun station, a second signal located at the observation station, and means carried by the primary and secondary indicators and adapted, when the primary indicator and secondary indicator indicate corresponding angles of train, to cause said signals to the observation instrument on a selected target and indicating such angle of train on the observers indicator, electrically operated means under control of the operator at the observation station for actuating one of the indicators at the turret to move the latter to a degree corresponding to the angle of train indicated by the observers in'dicator, -mechanism actuated by the revolving turret for operating the other indicator at the turret to move the latter relative to the first indicator at the-turret, a signal at such turret, a signal at the observation station, and mea'ns'for causing such signals to be displayed when all of the indicators indicate the same angle of train of the observation instrument.

16. In gun fire control apparatus and in combination, a pair of movable indicators, mechanism whereby one of said indicators is movable from "an observers station, mechanism for controlling the movements of the other indicator by movements of the gun, a signaling circuit including a switch and a lamp signal at both observers and gun stations, said lamps being in series, said circuit also including a resistance normally present in the circuit when the switch is closed, and complemental means carried by said indicators and operative on the lamp circuit to short-circuit the resistance in predetermined relative positions of the indicators, whereby the normal character of th signal is changed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set myhand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' FRANK W. WOOD. Witnesses: I

RICHARD B. CAVANAGH,

SAUL" W. LEVY. 

